WHAT IF

What If
By Rebecca Donovan
352 Pages
Kindle Edition
Release Date: September 16, 2014

Synopsis

What if you had a second chance to meet someone for the first time?

Cal Logan is shocked to see Nicole Bentley sitting across from him at a coffee shop thousands of miles from their hometown. 

After all, no one has seen or heard from her since they graduated over a year ago.

Except this girl isn't Nicole.

She looks exactly like Cal's shy childhood crush, but her name is Nyelle Preston and she has no idea who he is. This girl is impulsive and daring, her passion for life infectious. The complete opposite of Nicole. Cal finds himself utterly fascinated-and falling hard. But Nyelle is also extremely secretive. And the closer he comes to finding out what she's hiding, the less he wants to know.

When the secrets from the past and present collide, one thing becomes clear: Nothing is what it seems.

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I do have to preface this review by saying this...I began reading, like a maniac, 2 years ago.  One of the first series I ever read was The Breathing Series by Rebecca Donovan.  I have ALWAYS suggested books to friends.  I have to say, I ALWAYS recommend The Breathing Series. So that being said, when I was given the opportunity to read this book, prior to it's release, I just about wept.  I find Rebecca Donovan's writing entrancing. She captivates her readers and hooks them in.  So with that being said...here is my review.

This book could possibly be my favorite read of the year!  Rebecca has taken a few characters from their childhood to adulthood and brought you into their friendship, heart aches, and turmoil that is their lives.

Rae, Richelle and Cal, friends since they were practically babies.  The June before fourth grade, Nicole moves in next door to Richelle.  The quartet become instant friends.

Nicole, however, has a little different life than the other kids in the neighborhood.  Her father rules with an iron fist, her mother is stuck in the 1950's, meeting her husband at the door with his slippers and pipe.  While Nicole is expected to be the perfect little girl.  Not to get dirty, to be home waiting on her father's arrival.  It's a weird scenario for the other kids but Richelle takes Nicole under her wing and allows Nicole to just be "one of the guys".   

"Go clean up and change before your father gets home...we're supposed to make him happy, not disappointed in us." 

Their friendship blossoms we are able to see their friendship grown as they get older. They need each other. 

Their relationships change over the years but the What if's are still there.  Once away at college,  Cal has become quite the ladies man.  He meets this unique, quirky girl named Nyelle who captures his interest.  But Cal can't keep track of her.  She just shows up every once in a while but she's a force to be reckoned with and Cal is captivated by her."

Cal-

"I am looking for the girl I'll regret if I let her go."

I found Nyelle to be a refreshing character who made me laugh, more than once.  That's one of the great things about this book, is that there is humor throughout the book, which made me love it even more.

Cal-

"Why do you call it the frosting tree?

Nyelle-

She thrusts her arm, elbow-deep, into her jacket pocket and pulls out a tub of vanilla frosting. 

"I like to have something sweet while, I am thinking."

We all have those What If moments.  This book is riddled with What If moments and that is what makes it so true to life.  

Rebecca has taken this story, told it in a few different characters point of view, has woven a story with twists and turns. She has such a unique way of capturing your attention, from page one and keeping you intertwined with these characters, it's brilliant.

This story is so unique and different than most of the books out there today. I love a good "alpha male/bad boy falls in love with an innocent girl" book every once in a while, but this book will have you thinking about life and YOUR What if's. It's such a refreshing change from the norm in the book world right now. (Not that I don't like those books because believe me, I do!)

I need to thank Rebecca Donovan for once again, making me absolutely obsessed with a book!

This book was emotionally brutal, smile inducing and a belly laughing sweet story that spans years. You will want to read this book again, immediately after you finish.  I guarantee, it's a different read the second time around.

As you may have guessed, I give this book 5/5 stars and I would give it more if possible.  Please take the time to download this book on September 16 and fall in love with Rebecca Donovan's writing and if you haven't read the Breathing Series, please go to amazon, right now, and download them all.  But first, get this book and devour it!

I was given an ARC copy of this book for an honest review. *But I have to say that if I hadn't gotten an ARC, I would have been stalking Amazon on September 16 for this book anyway!*

5/5 Stars

AMAZON US: No preorder link available

AMAZON UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-If-Rebecca-Donovan-ebook/dp/B00KZ70A1C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1410287881&sr=8-2&keywords=what+if

BARNES & NOBLE: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/what-if-rebecca-donovan/1119703883?ean=9781455533091

GOOGLE PLAY: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Rebecca_Donovan_What_If?id=-YrEAwAAQBAJ

BAM: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/What-If/Donovan-Rebecca/Q659678049?id=6024946914736

iBOOKS (if you're an Apple user): https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/what-if/id887494102?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Amazon links for the Breathing series:

Book One-Reason to Breathe

http://tinyurl.com/ps45r5c

Book Two - Barely Breathing

http://tinyurl.com/mok6ard

Book Three - Out of Breath

http://tinyurl.com/nz4wa5u

KINDLE UNLIMITED ALL BOOKS ARE FREE!!

About the Author:

Optimism seeps from every pore of my body. I truly believe what’s supposed to happen… will. In that regard, I don’t know how to give up; it’s not part of my biological make-up.

I’m a passionate (and some would say overly enthusiastic) individual. I learn by doing (and have been burned more times than I’d like to admit). But I will always throw my entire self into whatever I do–fail or succeed.

I think this is evident when I write. I leave nothing behind, and spill it all out onto the pages. I give it all to my readers – love it or hate it.

The path I’m on is very often my own. Sometimes I veer off at the sight of something more interesting or captivating and get caught in the vines and thorns in order to experience the beauty and intrigue others often pass by. And I always meet the most interesting people along the way…